


The Escape

by MsMeiriona



Series: Madman In The Attic [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Verse: Madman In The Attic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 15:01:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsMeiriona/pseuds/MsMeiriona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Emma Swan in town,  Jefferson knows things are going to change, and one of those changes will be him leaving his attic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Escape

Jefferson hadn't left the old Victorian in nearly five years. When Henry began school and Regina couldn't watch him every moment, she'd 'reminded' Godfather he could have his groceries delivered, and shopping had been their only outings together. Jefferson had spent the first few years of the curse trying to wake up Rumplestiltskin, becoming increasingly manic as attempt after attempt failed.  
  
When he was discouraged from staying in the shop, the claims that the fanciful items aggravated his condition, he gave in. He couldn't have known Regina would keep shortening the leash, although when she brought the boy in, it should have warned him.  
  
The town looked on him with pity, and the vacant mindless routine only made things worse, so he'd been happy enough to retreat into the attic. The loss of weekly outings was blessing and bane, because it meant he no longer caught sight of his Grace.  
  
Regina had done a good job breaking him. He had to give her credit for that. It was starting to feel like maybe they were right, maybe the magic was all in his head. His lucid days became rarer, and Godfather had to place a lock on the kitchen after he'd wandered off in the middle of making tea and started a small fire.  
  
But then one day Godfather had gone out and Rumplestiltskin had come home in his place.  
  
And now Jefferson was to leave the house again.  
  
The plan was simple, he was to have taken an interest in Emma, the first new face in a decade. To learn about her, supposedly, he would talk to Henry. It was important that he get the boy to speak about his theories regarding the town. This would enable Godfather-Rumplestiltskin-Gold, to go to Regina with a firmly worded request. Keep her son away from Jefferson, and do nothing to drive away Emma Swan.  
  
That would assure that Henry would become an ally, and Rumplestiltskin assured him he could get Regina's word to stick regarding Miss Swan.  
  
But that was in the future, the now was what was important, and the now was leaving the house for the first time in years. It shouldn't make him nervous. It should be freedom, a joyful escape from his prison.  
  
And yet there was fear. He'd caught it off Godfather, it seemed. There was always a worry to his posture, like a dog that expected every hand would strike it, but never dreamed of biting. Keep your head down, don't draw attention. It reminded him of how he'd dealt with the nobility when it had been just he and Grace. Had Godfather been a poor man? Certainly not during the years of the curse.  
  
And now Jefferson was stalling. He fiddled with the scarf that hid his scars, they would draw too much attention from Miss Swan. It had to be gradual, or else Regina would Do Something About It. But now was the test. He might be able to get to the schoolyard in time for recess if he was quick.  
  
With a final look up the stairs toward his attic refuge, Jefferson stepped into the fresh air of Storybrooke for the first time in half a decade, and felt a shudder of change in the world.  
  
Finally. Time was moving.  
  
He kept his head down all the way to the school. No one paid attention to him, so busy with their own lives. That was the Curse, of course. They wouldn't have noticed had he run naked down the street, if Regina didn't allow it.  
  
But there was the boy, alone with his book and his sandwich.  
  
"You're Henry, right?" He said, leaning against the chain link fence.  
  
The boy jumped, slamming his book shut as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't have. "My mom says adults who hang around schoolyards are bad and I shouldn't talk to them."  
  
"And you always do everything your mother tells you to?" Jefferson couldn't help but ask, even though starting a fight was a bad idea.  
  
"Yes. I mean, no, not _everything_ , but when it doesn't seem wrong..."  
  
"I know. My Godfather tells me I shouldn't go asking too many questions, that they make people nervous. But you're the only person in town who knows about this new person, this Emma Swan." It was easy to let the look of loneliness and hurt enter his gaze, especially considering how lonely this child must be, the only person aging in the entire town.  
  
"Why do you want to know about Emma? Did my mom put you up to this?" Henry was defensive, worried, and Jefferson was quick to shake his head.  
  
"No! Don't tell her I asked. Emma is different. No one new comes to Storybrooke . But Godfather told me she's rented a room at the inn. That means she changed something. She needs to stay here. You mother will send her away. She'll make it all the same again. Don't tell your mother about me! I want to meet Emma. Please..."  
  
Henry's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to be trying to remember something. "You said mentioned a godfather before. Who is your godfather?"  
  
"R-That is, Mr. Gold. He takes care of me. After I lost my family..." That was the truth, too. The curse might have said he'd been the child, not the parent, but it was still his family he'd lost. Without his Grace, it was only Godfather who he was able to watch over and talk to.  
  
Henry's eyes went as wide as saucepans. "You're the madman! People whisper about you! But you're not supposed to leave the attic, ever. No ones seen you in years!"  
  
Jefferson grasped at the fence, trying to look harmless but desperate. "Because nothing changes here! Why should I leave the attic to see the same thing every day? But now some-thing’s happening. The clock's ticking. Tell me about Emma, please! I left my attic, because I needed to know why there's someone new here. Is she special?"  
  
The bell rang at that moment, but Henry nodded. "She's really special. She's the Saviour. She's going to bring back the happy endings. Defeat the Evil Queen and break the curse. Don't worry, she'll fix everything."

 

"Really?" He let a glimmer of hope enter his voice. "How do you know?"

 

Henry tapped the storybook lightly. "It's all in here. I gotta go. But come back tomorrow, I'll show you!"

 

As soon as the children had returned to the schoolhouse Jefferson let out a long shaking breath. He'd done it. He'd left the house, talked to someone besides Godfather, and things hadn't fallen to pieces around him. He'd done everything Godfather had asked. And now he could go back to the attic.

 

He needed to go back there. It wasn't safe out in Storybrooke, Regina's world. Of course, getting back home was harder than he'd thought it would be. Finding the school had been mostly about following the sounds, he hadn't paid attention to the streets and turnings he'd taken, and hated that he'd somehow managed to become lost in the town he'd lived in for nearly three decades.

 

It was the Sheriff who found him wandering. He'd just started to feel panic welling up, just started to feel the weight of years without human contact catching up. He'd been a shut in long enough that the role stuck, and he wanted to go home.

 

"There you are, Mr. Travers. Your godfather is quite worried, he called me the moment he saw you were gone." The sheriff looked quite frazzled, as if he'd had a busy day. "He's been threatening to have me fired if I didn't get you back."

 

Jefferson smiled and nodded. "Thank you. I got lost, the town is bigger than I remembered. I'd like to go home. You can do that, right?"

 

It was a quiet ride in the squad car, and Jefferson was told that the rules had been bent to allow him to sit in the front, and thanked Sheriff Humbert for it. He meant it t0o. The last thing he needed was to be locked up. No, if anyone was locking the hatter up, it was himself.

 

The moment he stepped out of the car and onto the walkway he heard the door slam shut and saw Rumplestiltskin limping at high speed towards him, catching him in an embrace. All for the show, of course.

 

_"Did you talk to him?"_ The voice whispered in his ear. "Don't you ever scare me like that again my boy, if you wanted to go somewhere you only needed to ask me."

 

_"Just like you said."_ Jefferson responded below his breath, then pulled back. "I just wanted to see this new woman. I didn't find her, but the boy Henry knows her and said she's special. Can I talk to him again tomorrow?"

 

"Jefferson, go inside, we'll talk about this later." Gold's eyes were dark with pain and anger. Jefferson did as instructed, but listened at the door.

 

"Sheriff, you know how fragile my godson's mental state is. For the first time in years he's taken an interest in someone his own age with Miss Swan, I don't want him focusing on Henry Mills. I think Miss Swan could be good for him. Is there anything I can do to get in contact with her?"

 

"Ah, well, not if the mayor has her way. She's... none too happy about Henry's birth mother being in town. She's made it clear that Miss Swan is not welcome here."

 

"And of course, she's the one person I can't threaten with eviction. Well, thank you sheriff. I'll see what I can do."

 

Jefferson grinned at this. Well, it seemed that not even twenty eight years of fog could dampen the Dark One's showmanship and acting skills. Regina wouldn't be getting a hint of subversion out of her pet law enforcement. There would be no excuse needed for why he'd be seeing her, too.

A brief time was needed to recount in full his conversation with Henry, and then Jefferson was alone in the house once more. He retreated to his attic, waiting and watching.

 ***

Rumplestiltskin was tense as he approached Regina and her ruined apple tree, though the woman herself was in a cheery mood.

 

"For someone with that amount of property damage you seem to be in a rather good mood." He said without preamble.

 

Regina smiled like the cat who ate the canary. "Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance."

 

His eyes narrowed. "I hope you aren't referring to Miss Swan."

 

Regina paused and turned to stare at him. He'd never used that dangerous tone with her before. Well, Mr. Gold hadn't. "As a matter of fact I am. I'd imagine she's halfway to Boston by now."

 

Gold chuckled. "Lucky for you that's not the case, I've just seen her strolling down main street with your boy. "

 

"What?" It was the look of the silly little girl who didn't understand that killing people wasn't the way to become popular.

 

"Oh yes. They seemed quite the pair. In fact it was Miss Swan I came here to talk about." He leaned in close. "I don't care what you do with _your_ son, but I will not allow your selfishness to harm Jefferson. He has taken an interest in Emma, left the house to talk to your boy about her. He started talking about his silly fairytales, and you and I both know that my godson's grip on reality isn't very strong. I do not want him and your boy becoming friends, it would only feed the delusions. Emma Swan, on the other hand, must stay."

Regina opened her mouth to protest but Gold cut her off. "Madame Mayor, you want your son to be happy and healthy, so you understand my position. Emma Swan will be good for Jefferson. Please do not attempt to drive her away again." 

Before the mayor could recover from the shock of his words, Gold had turned on his heel and left, kicking aside a discarded apple as he went.


End file.
